Parish Charities & SOCIAL JUSTICE

“Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” Mt 25:40

“The Church’s love for the poor... is a part of her constant tradition. This love is inspired by the Gospel of the Beatitudes, of the poverty of Jesus, and of his concern for the poor. Love for the poor is even one of the motives for the duty of working so as to be able to give to those in need." Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2444

St. Charles Parish shows love for our needy neighbors through a variety of corporal works of mercy, and through advocacy for peace and social justice through a variety of activities. See below for opportunities to serve.

For more information and general inquiries, please contact Anne Marie Kaufmann in the parish office by phone at 703-527-5500, by email at akaufmann@stcharleschurch.org

Local Outreach

DINNER FOR ALL

Second Saturday of each month, 11:00am-2:30pmBenedict Hall, St. Charles Catholic Church

Dinner for All is a community luncheon designed to bring together parish and community members from various social and economic backgrounds. Volunteer roles include preparing and serving meals, hospitality, children's activities, and more.

Additional ways to serve:

Meal preparation on the Friday before Dinner for All, 6:30-9:30pm.

Coffee Hour on 1st, 3rd, and 4th Saturdays, 11:00am-12:00pm. Volunteer to greet and converse with guests while enjoying coffee and pastries.

To begin serving, please contact outreach@stcharleschurch.org. New volunteers will be asked to attend a short orientation on their first day. Advance RSVP's from volunteers is strongly requested for each Dinner for All.

PARISH CHARITIES DAYTIME OUTREACH & FOOD PANTRY

"Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me." Matthew 25:40

St. Charles provides emergency assistance for rent and utilities to residents of Arlington County, grocery bags for families, and lunch bags for the homeless. Clients for emergency assistance are interviewed prior to receiving financial help, and food pantry recipients are interviewed annually.

An orientation will be offered for those interested in volunteering. For more information or to volunteer, contact Anne Marie Kaufmann, akaufmann@stcharleschurch.org

Donate

The food pantry needs donations of the following: spaghetti sauce, pasta, soup, canned vegetables, cereal, canned tuna or other meat, canned entrees, canned fruit, and vienna sausages or tuna/ chicken snack packs. Please drop off donations at designated bins at Church entrances before or after Mass during the week or on the weekend. Thank you for your helping to feed the hungry in Arlington.

Overseas Charities

HAITI COMMITTEE

Our relationship with the St. Charles’ sister parishes located in greater Cavaillon, Haiti is going strong after some 30 years! Just as Jesus educated, fed, and healed those He encountered in and around Galilee, so do we at St. Charles—through the generosity of parishioners, family and friends—work to help educate, feed, and foster good health for the families in greater Cavaillon. Learn more by visiting the Haiti Committee page.

Advocacy for Justice and Peace

“The Church’s obligation to participate in shaping the moral character of society is a requirement of our faith (9). In the Catholic Tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation… [This obligation] is rooted in our baptismal commitment to follow Jesus Christ and to bear Christian witness in all we do (13). Unfortunately, politics in our country often can be a contest of powerful interests, partisan attacks, sound bites, and media hype. The Church calls for a different kind of political engagement: one shaped by the moral convictions of well-formed consciences and focused on the dignity of every human being, the pursuit of the common good, and the protection of the weak and the vulnerable.” Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility from the Catholic Bishops of the United States, November 2015

To learn more about current issues and legislation facing our nation and state and our call to responsible political engagement, click on the following links:

“If we wish to make any progress in the service of God we must begin every day of our life with new eagerness. We must keep ourselves in the presence of God as much as possible and have no other view or end in all our actions but the divine honor.”